Book Review: Graffiti Moon

Media Type: Ebook (ARC)
Title: Graffiti Moon
Author: Cath Crowley
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Pages: Hardcover; 272
Release Date: February 14, 2012
Source: NetGalley
———————————————
Intended Reading Group: Young Adult
Content Screening: Mild Violence
———————————————
HDB Rating: 5 Keys to My Heart
Recommended to: Readers who swoon worthy moments and wonderfully rendered characters.

Add it on: Goodreads / Shelfari / Amazon / B&N

Senior year is over, and Lucy has the perfect way to celebrate: tonight, she’s going to find Shadow, the mysterious graffiti artist whose work appears all over the city. He’s out there somewhere—spraying color, spraying birds and blue sky on the night—and Lucy knows a guy who paints like Shadow is someone she could fall for. Really fall for. Instead, Lucy’s stuck at a party with Ed, the guy she’s managed to avoid since the most awkward date of her life. But when Ed tells her he knows where to find Shadow, they’re suddenly on an all-night search around the city. And what Lucy can’t see is the one thing that’s right before her eyes.

Graffiti has always entranced me. There’s something about the sweeping murals, painted in secrecy, that hold a certain power over me. After reading Graffiti Moon, I think my love is even stronger. Before I delve into anything else about this book I need to share how much I loved that Cath Crowley made graffiti into art. Shadow doesn’t paint on anything that belongs to anyone, he doesn’t tag for a gang, instead he paints the beauty, pain and sorrow that are inside of his soul onto the walls of broken down areas. Unloved areas that crave color. In this book, graffiti is turned into an expression of feeling. Crowley allows her characters to use art in general as an outlet for their emotions. It’s a beautiful thing.

This is a story about feeling lost and alone, and searching out the one thing that will bring you back. For Lucy, her parents are the source of her confusion. I love how Crowley portrays them in this book, because it is so realistic. They love one another, they love her, they just can’t always be around one another. On the other hand, Shadow’s nemesis is a matter of self doubt. How can he move forward if the one holding him back is…him? These two characters are the main focus of the story, and they are beautifully portrayed. To say I fell in love with them is a given.

I wish I could more aptly express how sweeping this story is. Crowley has a way with words that just allows you to get lost in the story. Lucy is looking for a mysterious artist, one who will take her breath away. What she doesn’t see is that the boy right in front of her is just as wonderful. In this story Lucy and Ed navigate the land of second chances. They discover that sometimes first impressions aren’t always what they seem to be. Shrouded in the protective cloak of night, these two learn a lot about themselves and one another. Their dialogue is true to life and unabashedly honest. I can’t express enough how amazing these two really are.

Beautiful. That’s my review in one word. What Cath Crowley has written in Graffiti Moon is a look deep into the inner thoughts of lost teens. A nighttime adventure that takes them through their deepest secrets. This book captivated me, and I guarantee that it will do the same for you.

FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion.